The Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform of the Prime Minister and the Republic of Korea (RoK) Embassy held a dialogue on July 17 alongside the Korean business community based in Vietnam for the purpose of finding solutions to solve difficulties facing them in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung (R) and Chairman of
the Council and RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Park Noh-wan co-chair the dialogue
(Photo: VGP)

The event was co-hosted by Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, along with Chairman of the Council and RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Park Noh-wan. Roughly 320 representatives from various ministries, provinces, and cities, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, and Vinh Phuc, were also in attendance.

Most notably, the meeting served to bring together leading Korean businesses operating in the country such as Samsung, SK, LG, Lotte, POSCO, Hanwha, CJ, Hyosung, LH Company, Shinhan Bank, and Woori Bank. In addition to helping business support associations such as the Korea Business Association in Vietnam, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency. 

The dialogue covered three major areas, including listening to a range of difficulties and problems of Korean businesses, the Vietnamese Government’s policies aimed at overcoming difficulties caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, and post-COVID-19 co-operation plans between the two countries.

This event is of great significance in terms of the affirmation of ties and economic co-operation between the pair, displaying the Vietnamese Government’s determination to improve the general business environment for Korean businesses operating in the nation.

This comes after the Council held a dialogue with European businesses on June 30 to listen and acknowledge the business community's difficulties and recommendations. Furthermore, it offered a platform for participants to propose different initiatives and solutions in an effort to refine policies and administrative procedures, in addition to promoting production and business activities, along with revitalising the national economy after the epidemic.

According to Minister Dung, business dialogues held by the Council are an important way of carrying out the directions issued by the Government and the Prime Minister. Their purpose is to help reform mechanisms, policies, and administrative procedures as a way of helping firms remove barriers and difficulties faced in investment, production, and business activities in order to cut costs and improve operational efficiency.

After gathering different opinions from the dialogue, the Council will finalise a report to be submitted to the Prime Minister for consideration in order direct various ministries and sectors to implement measures in an attempt to iron out snags in business operations.